Chapter 7
I finally shift my gaze to the guy in the room. To put it bluntly, he’s downright ugly—round head, flat nose, sausage lips, beady eyes, and a bowl-shaped haircut, topped with a sleazy grin. He’s sprawled on a fancy European-style sofa, two black-suited bodyguards looming behind him. Despite his carefree act, the bodyguards betray he’s not as relaxed—or happy—as he seems.
This is the man I’m here to see: Stelly, high-ranking noble of the Goa Kingdom and master of this mansion. He’s the adopted “little brother” of Sabo, one of the One Piece trio, though unlike Sabo, he’s obsessed with the rotten, self-deluded culture of the nobility. Always has been, and it’s only gotten worse.
“Long time no see, Morgan,” Stelly says, flashing another grin and gesturing for me to sit.
“Yeah, been a while, Stelly.” I plaster on a practiced smile and settle onto the sofa across from him. “Heard you’re about to become king? Congrats.”
“Hahaha, don’t jinx it!” Stelly laughs, smug as hell. “If you hadn’t taken care of my two brothers-in-law, I wouldn’t be next in line.” He’s not wrong. He hired me to eliminate the Goa Kingdom’s two princes, clearing the path for him—husband of the king’s only daughter—to become the top heir. The old king’s so senile he can’t count to four anymore, so Stelly’s coronation is probably a year or two away. No wonder he’s gloating.
Snap. Stelly clicks his fingers, and one of his bodyguards grabs a fancy bottle from a wine cabinet, pops the cork, and pours two goblets, placing one in front of each of us.
Stelly picks up his glass, swirling it pretentiously. “Try it. This is premium wine from Rose Island, limited supply to the Goa Kingdom each year. Even the Celestial Dragons keep this stuff in their cellars.”
“Really? Gotta give it a taste then.” I grab the goblet, sniffing it first. A rich, intoxicating aroma hits my nose. I take a sip and nod. “Yeah, it’s got a unique kick.” It’s a half-hearted compliment—I don’t care for his showboating. I set the glass down. “Alright, let’s cut to the chase, Stelly. Time’s tight. Got what I asked for?”
Stelly sets his glass down too, signaling the other bodyguard. The guy hurries over, placing an ornate little box on the coffee table in front of me.
I pick it up, flip open the lid, and check the contents. Everything’s in order. I close it and nod. “Not bad, Stelly. You’re pretty efficient, I’ll give you that.”
“Haha, of course! I always go all out for a friend,” Stelly says, laughing with fake generosity.
I smirk, not buying it. If he wasn’t charging me, I might believe his crap. “Thud.” I set the box beside me and slide the case I brought across the table. “As agreed, two million Berries, no more, no less. It’s yours.”
Stelly’s eyes light up at the sight of the case. He waves a bodyguard over to count the cash. Truth is, noble or not, he’s strapped for money. Taking out those princes cost him a fortune, not to mention bribing his lackeys and maintaining this mansion. To him, this cash is dearer than his own father—hell, probably dearer than that.
“Exactly two million, Your Highness,” the bodyguard reports after counting.
“Good. Store it,” Stelly says, nodding with satisfaction. He turns to me, grinning. “Congrats, Morgan. You’re officially a noble of the Goa Kingdom. But… I’m curious. What’s the point of spending two million Berries on a title?”
“That’s…” I flash a cryptic smile. “Trade secret. Nothing to do with you, so don’t bother asking, Stelly.” I grab the box and stand. “Deal’s done. I’m out. Pleasure doing business.”
I turn to leave.
“Wait, Morgan!” Stelly calls out.
I pause, glancing back with a grin. “What, got more business for me?”“Well, yeah…” Stelly swirls his goblet, choosing his words. “I’ve got another job, but I’m thinking we shift from these one-off deals to something long-term. What do you say?”
“I get it.” I chuckle. “You want me on your payroll, right? Fine by me—I’m a bounty hunter. As long as the money’s good, I’m game. Flat rate: one billion Berries per job.”
“Pfft!” Stelly chokes, spitting out his wine. It’s the price tag that’s got him rattled. “Cough! Cough! What?! One… one billion Berries?!” He stares at me, like he needs to hear it again.
I nod, calm as ever. “Yup, one billion. That’s a discount.”
“Uh…” Stelly’s face darkens. He’s broke as hell—why else would he be peddling noble titles? He tries another angle. “Morgan, you know I’ll be king of the Goa Kingdom soon. Work for me, and when I’m crowned, you’ll get way more than short-term cash. Think bigger, like—”
I cut him off. “So, you’re trying to scam me with empty promises?”
My words hit like a gut punch, and Stelly freezes, speechless.
“Tch, tch, tch…” I smirk, mocking him. “What a waste of time. You just cost me a few hundred thousand Berries with this nonsense, Stelly.”
I turn and head for the door again.
“You need to think bigger, Morgan!” Stelly shouts at my back, desperate to reel me in.
I pause, not turning around. “You’re the one who needs to think bigger, Your Highness.”
Click. The door swings open and shuts behind me as I leave.Smash! After I’m gone, Stelly’s voice echoes, furious, as he hurls his goblet to the floor. “Damn it! A filthy bounty hunter dares talk to a future king like that!”
Of course, he’d never say that to my face.